A spirited, sprawling, at times delightfully quirky memoir by
Hollywood's own Mount Rushmore. With roles ranging from Moses to
Michelangelo to Sir Thomas More to the Voice of God, Heston
(Beijing Diary, 1990, etc.) dominated Hollywood for years in a
series of lavish epics, including The Ten Commandments and Ben Hur
(for which he won an Academy Award). In an era populated by
steel-jawed men such as Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas, Heston was
perhaps the most ferrous of them all. Yet he was one of the few
American Shakespearians of any note. And despite some stinkers
(Soylent Green, anyone?), he also worked with many of America's
best directors. This book could have certainly used a director's
distaste for superfluity. Heston seems to have never met an
anecdote, detail, or aside he didn't like. Surely he didn't have to
discuss all of his 60-plus films. Heston's final chapter, a
rechauffe buffet of stale ideological posturings - gun control bad,
Western civilization good - also leaves a slightly sour taste. But
he is, otherwise, a perceptive and engaging raconteur as he traces
his career from high school theater and the obligatory - hut brief
- down-and-out days in New York City to his ascent to Hollywood
fame and fortune. Ego usually well in check, he is also his own
best critic: "I could play cowboys better than Laurence Olivier and
Shakespeare better than Gary Cooper." Heston offers many useful
insights into acting and directing, and his recollections of the
people he worked with (just about everybody) contain some real
gems, especially his analysis of various directors' methods. A
long-playing performance, not perhaps of Oscar caliber, but at
least worth a nomination. (Kirkus Reviews)
Charlton Heston, like the roles he has played on both stage and on
screen, has had a large infuence on both American and world cinema.
He is famous throughout the world for his throughtful portrayal of
biblical and historical heroes - Moses in "The Ten Commandments",
Ben Hur, Mark Anthony and as Michelangelo in "The Agony and the
Ectasy". In his memoirs, Charlton Heston reflects on his life, his
career as an actor, and the political and personal principles which
have influenced him. He tells stories of his contemporaries and
co-stars, who include almost all the famous stage and screen names
of the past 40 years.
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